self-assessment test: bec higher...50 - 74 b2 ready for bec vantage course 1 - 49 b1 ready for bec...

Sprachen Handelsschule KV Aarau

Self-Assessment Test: BEC Higher Levels: B1 up to BEC-Higher Course (–C1)

Thank you for your interest in our self-assessment test.

This test should give you an idea how good your current business English skills are, and help you to decide whether you are ready to join one of our

BEC Higher preparation courses.

We wish you good luck and hope you will have fun doing this test.

Regulations

Time 90 minutes

Aids No dictionaries or other aids allowed Correction Correct your test yourself with the key available on

pages 17 – 19. Every correct answer is awarded 1 point. Level B1 up to the entry level for our BEC Higher Course.

Scoreboard

Assessment Test Points My Score

Paper 1 – Reading 40

Paper 2 – Use of English 60

Total 100

Assessment

Points Scored Level Recommendation

75 - 100 - C1 Ready for the

BEC-Higher-Diploma Course

50 - 74 B2 Ready for BEC Vantage Course

1 - 49 B1 Ready for BEC Preliminary Course

Self-Assessment: BEC Higher 2 EB-Handelsschule KV Aarau

Paper 1: Reading Part 1

o Look at the statements below and at the five extracts from a text about

corporate ownership of planes on the following page.

o Which extract (A, B, C, D or E) does each statement refer to? o For each sentence 1 - 8, mark one letter A, B, C, D or E. o You will need to use some of the letters more than once.

Example 0. It has recently become cheaper to own a plane.

A B C D E

1. The expense of plane ownership is seen as unacceptable by large numbers

of people. 2. Increased business travel is leading to greater interest in plane ownership.

3. Company-owned planes are less luxurious than might be expected.

4. Rules concerning flights may slow down privately owned travel.

5. The justification for plane ownership is related to senior management pay levels.

6. Plane ownership may be taken as a sign of a business being poorly run.

7. Competition is increasing among businesses which sell planes.

8. Plane ownership enables more rapid access to many places.


A Regular European business travellers view travelling on commercial airlines as inefficient and inconvenient. Mostly it is not the airlines’

fault but the infrastructure they have to work with. Private aircraft are being bought primarily not to save money on tickets but to save time. Scheduled flights in Europe cover only 10 per cent of the

destinations available. Delays, more likely than not in European travel these days, waste precious time. The number of hours top

executives with huge salaries waste has a direct impact on cost-effectiveness.

B The gradual completion of Europe’s single market means that more

and more executives are criss-crossing Europe looking for business. With European domestic air fares extremely high, a corporate jet looks more attractive for executives flying three or four times a

month. Even some of Europe’s smaller companies are investigating it. However, the larger European airports operate priority regulations

which govern slot allocation for take-off and create delays; airlines have first priority, chartered flights come second, air taxis third and business jets are fourth on the list. Smaller airports pose problems

of access and a risk of inadequate ground handling.

C Most businesses will not discuss their corporate aircraft or even reveal whether the already high-earning chief executive has an

aircraft, for fear of shareholder reaction. There is still some stigma attached to ownership of a business jet. With new planes costing

anything from $6 million upwards plus extra comforts in the interior, many companies feel they can’t justify the expense to shareholders and employees. For some European managers a private jet is seen

as an unacceptable perk indicating serious problems in a company’s management.

D The market for private aircraft divides into two sectors: the no-expense-spared rich man’s plaything – the popular image – and the serious business tool owned by corporations. Manufacturers deliver

the former as what is called a ‘green’ aircraft – a plane that is unfinished except for a green corrosive-resistant paint which covers

the bare metal. Owners personalise the plane with telephones, dining areas and even cinemas. The latter sector is very different and planes are normally bought with straightforward seating.

E Fractional ownership of aircraft has opened up the market, as the low acquisition costs and predictable monthly fees are more palatable to shareholders and to first-time buyers. Some of the

biggest names in the business jet industry have launched their own fractional ownership schemes. Several smaller companies are also

getting in on the act and are trying to beat the larger companies down the runway by offering cheaper prices. Yet critics claim that fractional ownership is untested and faces the customer with a wide

range of liabilities.


Part 2

o Read the article below about starting your own business. o Choose the best sentence from the following page to fill each of the gaps.

o For each gap, 9 – 13, mark one letter A - G. o Do not use any letter more than once.

o There is an example at the beginning, (0).

How to Start Your Own Business?

The first two things to do if you are starting your own business are to find an accountant and talk to your bank manager. Your accountant will help you to draw up a business plan to show what borrowings you need from your bank.

(0) __G___.

While you are engaged in these consultations, it is a good idea to find out whether you are entitled to any government subsidies or similar financial help. (9) ______. Check too whether training grants are available for yourself

or people you employ.

Once you have completed these preliminary tasks, there are a number of specific things you then need to do. Doing them in the right way and at the right time can save you a lot of money, so make sure you know what to do.

Perhaps the most important is to tell the Inland Revenue that you have left

your job and have started you own business. (10) _______. The Inland Revenue will also need to amend their records to show that you are now self-employed. Next, you should think about registering for Value Added Tax

(VAT). Generally, if your sales exceed a certain amount you have to charge VAT on them. (11) _______.

Consider the consequences of employing people in your business. As soon as you start to take on employees, you will need to establish proper procedures.

These include drawing up proper contracts of employment. You will also need to get in touch with your local tax office to register your employees.

Lastly, as part of becoming an employer of others, you must become familiar with a number of legal issues. Once you have more than a minimum number

of people on your payroll, you will need to comply with Health and Safety requirements. (12) ______. One issue that you should certainly think about

once your business expands and your staff grow in numbers is equal opportunity. In particular, you should consider drawing up a company policy

on equal opportunity. (13) ______. If you need more information on legal or other matters relating to

employment, contact your local Chamber of Commerce, which will either be able to help you, or will put you in touch with organizations who can.


Example

0.

A B C D E F G

A It is a good idea, when considering this issue, to ask your local Fire

Authority to check your work premises in order to ensure that they comply

with current fire regulations.

B Even if your sales are under that figure, it may be worthwhile registering

voluntarily because you could recover what you have been charged on your

business purchases.

C If you are new to this, talk to your local Chamber of Commerce about

placing suitable advertisements in the local press.

D For example, you might be in a less prosperous region where grants are made to encourage the start-up of small businesses.

E You may be due a repayment of income tax deducted while you were in

employment, so do this as soon as possible. F If this includes a commitment to employ disabled people, you will need to

ensure that your premises are equipped to accommodate them, for example with ramps for wheelchairs, special provision of restrooms, and so on.

G If this is done, your bank manager will need to review the plan and discuss

any overdraft facility you might need.


Part 3 o Read the newspaper article about the behaviour of some bosses and the

questions on the following page.

o For each question 14 – 19, mark one letter (A, B, C or D) for the answer you choose.

Some Bosses’ Dirty Little Tricks

There are some bosses who do not just have bigger salaries or cars than the rest of

us - they also behave differently. In many sometimes subtle and often painful ways,

they show you it is them rather than you who is in the driving seat. This power allows

bosses to behave badly at employees’ expense. The accumulation of humiliations for

subordinates adds up to the status they feel. One ploy, for example, is not to answer

to employee calls for days. It takes relatively little time to make a quick call but often

the excuse after two or three weeks is that the boss did not have time. This, and a

battery of degrading actions, merely emphasise where the power lies. What that

excuse is saying is that the boss did not have time for you. The boss may even add

insult to injury and say: “Did you phone? I’m sorry, I never got the message.” The

contempt of one that has power is never more starkly shown than when the boss tells

such a lie.

Bosses may set up a meeting and then either cancel it at the last minute or be very

late. Not only are they often late for a meeting, they also leave early and often have

little or no idea what the detail of the meeting is about. They sit cryptically in the

corner for a minute and then leave. All of that is there to show you who it is who has

the power and that your time and convenience are less important than this childish

show. Often this is the result of insecurity or just a failure to learn good manners.

Being tough and unresponsive to people and their feelings, the boss assumes

everyone else is as well. They may even imagine that people respond better to terror

and threats than to encouragement and praise. That produces a penchant for abuse,

attack and denigration. And that in turn will produce good work only from a narrow

range of resilient and thick-skinned people.

But it is once you get into meetings that real power language starts. When you get

face to face, body language really becomes unmistakably obvious and the assertions

of power become easy and evident. Typically, during a lengthy and well-researched

presentation you are giving, the boss might put up a hand, turn to someone else and

say: “Yes, I think we get the drift and I hear what you say. Now, John, I think you

have one or two ideas which might help push this boat out.”

However, some support for bosses behaving badly comes in 48 Laws of Power by

Robert Greene. Law 43 in this book states that those who act with authority are more

likely to be accepted as leaders. Keeping a distance rather than attempting to be

chummy is vital if leaders wish to have the ability to inspire loyalty, fear or love.

Those who pretend to be one of the crowd elicit contempt. While many see a boss’s

unpredictability as an abuse, Law 47 states: “Those who succeed at the game are

those who control the patterns and vary them at will, keeping people off balance

while they set the tempo. The powerful vary their rhythms and patterns and learn to

improvise.”

Consultant Jonathan Wilson says: “Many of those we work for do not realise the

difference between the exercise of power and bullying. Bosses behaving badly may

work in the short term and even be tolerated, but in the end those bosses cut

themselves off from the organisations and do not get any meaningful feedback. Also,

those beneath them will be too frightened to do anything creative and only do to the

letter what they are told. People are people and sometimes they behave badly and

lose their tempers, but sustained bullying as a way of running an organisation is

counter-productive.”


14. The writer uses the examples of bosses not returning calls to illustrate

A the fact that people change when they become bosses.

B the bad behaviour that most bosses are unaware of. C the low regard that bosses have for employees. D the unpredictable way in which bosses behave.

15. The writer says in the second paragraph that when bosses attend meetings, A they make it clear that they hate having to do so.

B they aim to create a certain impression. C their contribution often spoils the meeting.

D their behaviour varies from meeting to meeting.

16. According to the author, when bosses are tough and unresponsive

A the attitudes of people working for them often change. B some employees feel they have to improve their performance. C some people working for them do not find this upsetting.

D employees tend not to understand their intentions correctly.

17. The writer uses the example of a presentation to illustrate

A the fact that bosses tend to disagree just for the sake of it. B how little bosses really know about the work their employees do.

C the fact that bosses often come to the wrong conclusions. D how keen bosses are to be in control of certain situations.

18. In 48 Laws of Power, the author states that

A many bosses would like to be more pleasant to employees.

B many bosses do not realise their behaviour is unpredictable. C bosses who are friendly do not gain respect. D bosses are seldom given the credit they deserve.

19. Which of the following does Jonathan Wilson say about bosses’ bad behaviour?

A It is understandable to a certain extent. B It is caused by their desire to keep away from employees.

C It takes a great many different forms. D It can cause employees to do their work badly.


Part 4 o Read the text below about executive business courses. o Choose the correct word to fill each gap on the following page.

o For each question 20 – 30, circle one letter (A, B, C, or D) for the answer you choose.

o There is an example at the beginning (0).

Business Courses

Today, there is an enormous (0) ___B___ of business courses to choose

from. New trends in technology are also changing the executive education

landscape. They will (20) ______ the options further in the coming years by

presenting alternative delivery methods and learning experiences. So how do

managers decide on the best course for their staff.

Most human resources professionals agree that being clear about what you

want to achieve is the best way to (21) ______ down the choices. Recent

surveys consistently (22) ______ that companies want courses that are

relevant to their business (23) ______. The message from companies is

“give us knowledge but make it knowledge that we can use”. Indeed, the

greatest criticism of business schools in the past was that they were out of

(24) ______ with business reality. In recent years, schools have worked hard

to change their (25) ______ by developing working relationships with

industrial and commercial partners to bridge the (26) ______ between

classroom theory and workplace (27) ______ .

Survey findings suggest that organisations now (28) ______ executive

programmes using five criteria: a faculty’s academic reputation, and its

business experience, the international (29) _______ of participants, and

programme length and price. Practical (30) ______ mean that geographical

factors can play an important part in the choice of course, too, but in future

years this may become less of an issue. The ability of technology to overcome

distances is already making the ‘electronic classroom’ a reality and, in time,

may well reduce the dependence on local course providers.


Example 0 A group B variety C extent D spread

A B C D

20. A continue B stretch C widen D grow

21. A narrow B let C bring D close

22. A exhibit B show C present D display

23. A wishes B hopes C desires D needs

24. A touch B hand C order D control

25. A appearance B representation C picture D image

26. A space B opening C gap D hole

27. A manner B custom C practice D exercise

28. A evaluate B calculate C account D figure

29. A association B mix C union D alliance

30. A doubts B cares C fears D concerns


Part 5 o Read the text below about improving employability through personal

branding.

o For each question 31 – 40, write one word in CAPITAL LETTERS into the gaps.


Personal Branding

Our society (0) __is__ geared increasingly towards the individual, and that

means you have to find ways to stand (31) _________ from the crowd in order

to compete. Developing your personal brand is one way to do so.

Branding has moved a long way (32) __________ it meant simply building

recognisable product names. Brands now represent whole worlds of meaning.

And that’s just (33) ____________ you need to do if you want to be visible

among the masses.

“We live in a competitive climate, not least in the world of work,” says Helen

Nash, identity consultant for brand consultancy Smith and Milton. “Employers

are (34) ____________ just looking for skills, but for different qualities too.

More and more, young people have degrees, and you’ll find many other

candidates with the (35) ___________ skills and qualifications as you.”

Personal branding is a form of self-presentation, but it must be done naturally,

making it more (36) __________ just superficial. “You need to (37)

__________ a good look at yourself and ask fundamental questions,” says

Nash, “such (38) __________ , who am I? What are my strengths and

weaknesses? From the answers, decide where you want to be positioned in the

world, and precisely (39) __________ you want the others to see you.”

Over time, you can learn to create your own brand identity to make (40)

__________ more memorable. It’s a particularly useful exercise at time of

change in your career.


Paper 2: Use of English

Part 1 - Grammar

o Complete the following sentences by putting the verbs in brackets into the infinitive or the gerund. (1-4).

o For each correct sentence, 1 point is allotted. o There is an example at the beginning (0).

0. I’m sorry I forgot ___to call___ (call) you, but I was really busy.

1. Do you mind ____________ (be) picked up at the airport by a taxi?

2. We’ve stopped ___________ (meet) so often. It was a waste of time.

3. I regret ___________ (quit) my MBA course. It would have boosted my

career.

4. The Minister refused ___________ (be) questioned about the bribe.

5. Our CEO enjoyed ___________ (travel) to London.

6. You promised ___________ (deliver) by April, and it’s now May.

o Complete the following report (7-12) by putting the verbs into the present

perfect active (has done) or the present perfect passive (has been done).

o For each correct form, 1 point is allotted.


Investment Choice: Brazil

Brazil (0) __has been transformed___ (transform) from an economy based on

sugar and coffee into a leading industrial power, and this has happened over a

relatively short time. Over recent years inflation (7) ___________ (bring) under

control, and foreign direct investment (8) ______________ (encourage).

The Government (9) ____________ (privatise) many state-owned companies,

and they (10) _____________ (also / invest) a lot of money in advanced

infrastructure. In an attempt to decentralise the economy, Campinas was chosen

to be Brazil IT capital, and car production (11) _____________ (move) away

from traditional centres to states such as Rio Grande do Sul in the South. No one

pretends that all the old problems (12) _____________ (solve), but Brazil is

final taking its place on the world’s stage.


o Complete the following sentences with who, whose or that. (13-18). o For each correct sentence, 1 point is allotted.


0. The customer ___whose___ company I visited is phoning this afternoon.

13. Your colleague, ________ I met this morning, had a different opinion.

14. They promoted the manager ________ sales team was the most successful.

15. The salad ________ came with the fish was excellent.

16. The technician _______ spoke to our IT executive claimed the network was

working fine.

17. Rolex is a manufacturer ________ reputation is excellent all over the world.

18. The products ________ were attracting most interest were the smaller,

lighter models.

o Complete the following sentences (19-24) with one of the linking words from the box. Use each word or phrase just once.

o For each correct sentence, 1 point is allotted.


although

anyway

but

in spite of

still

though

whereas

0. Our CFO didn’t recognise me, ___although___ we had met before.

19. I don’t like karaoke bars _________ I went with my Korean clients anyway.

20. I offered my best price, but they __________ didn’t seem to be interested.

21. I think we’ll have to change our suppliers. It’s a pity, _________.

22. _________ the early problems, the project has been a great success.

23. Spain is a saturated market, __________ in Portugal there is still room for

growth.

24. We haven’t got all the facts, but it’s worth discussing it ___________.


o Complete the following sentences (25-30) with a phrasal verb that means

the same as the words in brackets. The particle has been given to help you. o For each correct sentence, 1 point is allotted.


0. Did you ___find___ out … why they haven’t paid their invoice? (discover)

25. If Mike Jenkins arrives, could you ___________ after … him until I return?

(take care of)

26. In my job I ___________ with … a lot of paperwork. (handle)

27. Any more questions? OK, I’ll __________ on … with my presentation

(continue)

28. If you like, I can ___________ up … the parcel on my way home. (collect)

29. Can you ____________ on … a minute until I have found the information?

(wait)

30. You need determination to succeed. Don’t __________ up … now. (quit)


Part 2 – Business Vocabulary

o Complete each sentence with the correct option (31-60). o There is an example at the beginning (0).

0. We need to __clarify__ our objectives before we start our campaign.

a.) clarify b.) interpret c.) prescribe

31. Many supermarkets are looking to _________ into new product lines.

a.) deregulate b.) destabilise c.) diversify

32. What we’re looking for is loyalty and _________ from our shareholders.

a.) enterprise b.) commitment c.) congestion

33. We want to _______ new reporting procedures to improve communication.

a.) initiate b.) motivate c.) brief

34. We’re ________ the company on the NYSE to raise capital for expansion.

a.) sharing b.) selling c.) floating

35. They need to ________ two different cultures to make the merger work.

a.) implement b.) integrate c.) join

36. We bought an address list and did a _______ of 2,500 addresses.

a.) posting b.) mailshot c.) send-off

37. Many dotcoms went bankrupt when the internet bubble finally _______ .

a.) deflated b.) broke c.) burst

38. We need to find ways of ________ our customers’ wants more effectively.

a.) anticipating b.) guessing c.) considering

39. The company faced a hostile takeover when its shares _______ .

a.) peaked b.) plummeted c.) soared


40. We reviewed our _________ processes and cut production times by 12%.

a.) operating b.) management c.) sales

41. They’re cutting administrative jobs to ________ the company structure.

a.) shrink b.) streamline c.) economise

42. After our company’s success, other companies jumped on the _________.

a.) trend b.) hype c.) bandwagon

43. Due to large losses, shareholders won’t receive a _________ this year.

a.) dividend b.) bonus c.) revenue

44. In China it is very __________ to arrive late for a meeting.

a.) hospitable b.) discourteous c.) harmonious

45. The software wasn’t _________ with our system so we had to replace it.

a.) interactive b.) interconnected c.) compatible

46. Smart companies are pushing social issues up the ________.

a.) schedule b.) agenda c.) itinerary

47. We ordered 500 12-page glossy _________ to hand out at the trade fair.

a.) leaflets b.) brochures c.) samples

48. They had to sell off some _______ in order to reduce their level of debt.

a.) headquarters b.) capital c.) assets

49. We don’t own the Paris office. We _______ it from a larger company.

a.) lease b.) hire c.) borrow

50. The joint venture has been a successful ________ for both parties.

a.) interaction b.) teamwork c.) collaboration

51. By ________, we’ve been able to reduce our office space by 20 %.

a.) swapping desks b.) desk exchange c.) hotdesking


52. The meeting lasted all night due to the _________ of the negotiations.

a.) disparity b.) complexity c.) flexibility

53. Do you know how much of the budget has been ________ to recruitment?

a.) allocated b.) ensured c.) prescribed

54. Many companies now no longer allow employees to accept _______.

a.) gadgets b.) gimmicks c.) gifts

55. Our customers buy our goods from independent high street ________.

a.) wholesalers b.) retailers c.) distributors

56. Despite early losses, the managed to __________ by the end of the year.

a.) stabilise b.) level out c.) break even

57. The new warehouse allows us to manage our ________ a lot better

a.) inventory b.) assets c.) holdings

58. We sold our ________ in Marbidex Inc. to focus on our core activities.

a.) partition b.) presence c.) equity stake

59. A recent wave of ________ has left only five big players in the market.

a.) consolidation b.) joint ventures c.) efficiencies

60. There are some important issues ________ from the findings of this report.

a.) attributing b.) arising c.) coming

Congratulations – You Have Made It! This is the End of the Self-Assessment Test:

It is Time to Relax!


Key Every correct answer is awarded with one point.

You can score a maximum of 100 points.

Paper 1: Reading

Part 1

1 C 2 B 3 D 4 B

5 A 6 C 7 E 8 A

Part 2

9 D 10 E 11 B 12 A

13 F

Part 3

14 C 15 B 16 C 17 D

18 C 19 A

Part 4

20 C 21 A 22 B 23 D

24 A 25 D 26 C 27 C

28 A 29 B 30 D

Part 5

31 OUT 32 SINCE

33 WHAT 34 NOT

35 SAME 36 THAN

37 TAKE / HAVE 38 AS

39 HOW 40 YOURSELF


Paper 2: Use of English

Part 1 - Grammar

1 being 2 meeting

3 quitting 4 to be

5 travelling (BE) / traveling (AE) 6 to deliver

7 has been brought 8 has been encouraged

9 has privatized 10 have also invested

11 has been moved 12 have been solved

13 who 14 whose

15 that 16 who

17 whose 18 that

19 but 20 still

21 though 22 In spite of

23 whereas 24 anyway

25 look 26 deal

27 go / carry 28 pick

29 hang / hold 30 give

Part 2 – Business Vocabulary

31 c diversify 32 b commitment

33 a initiate 34 c floating

35 b integrate 36 b mailshot

37 c burst 38 a anticipating

39 b plummeted 40 a operating

41 b streamline 42 c bandwagon

43 a dividend 44 b discourteous


45 c compatible 46 b agenda

47 b brochures 48 c assets

49 a lease 50 c collaboration

51 c hotdesking 52 b complexity

53 a allocated 54 c gifts

55 b retailers 56 c break even

57 a inventory 58 c equity stake

59 a consolidation 60 b arising

THE END

self-assessment test: bec higher...50 - 74 b2 ready for bec vantage course 1 - 49 b1 ready for bec...

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